Dia De Los Muertos - Pumpkin Bread Cake
INGREDIENTS
PUMPKIN BREAD CAKE:
532 gr all-purpose flour, sifted
10 gr baking powder
8 gr baking soda
10 gr kosher salt
7 gr cinnamon powder
9 gr pumpkin pie spice powder
405 gr canola oil
435 gr eggs
346 gr brown sugar
195 gr granulated sugar
485 gr pumpkin purée, Boiron brand preferred
9 gr vanilla extract
PEPITA BRITTLE
170 gr green pepitas
88 gr corn syrup
177 gr granulated sugar
40 gr water
50 gr butter
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper powder
PUMPKIN ‘TACHA’ PURÉE:
1 kabocha pumpkin
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
8 cloves
1 orange peel
2 kg water
500 gr brown sugar
ORANGE BLOSSOM MILK:
370 gr evaporated milk
480 gr whole milk
375 gr condensed milk
2 tsp orange blossom essence
TO ASSEMBLE
Pumpkin bread cake
Caramel tacha pumpkin purée
Spiced pepitas brittle
Orange blossom milk
Cinnamon ice cream
Whipped cream
Marigold petal flowers
DIRECTIONS
MAKE THE CAKE:
Preheat oven 350°F. Combine the dry ingredients together and reserve. Line a baking dish with parchment and spray with cooking spray or butter (fully coat the pan or cake will stick).
In a separate bowl, combine the eggs and sugar and whisk until incorporated. Add the pumpkin purée and the vanilla extract until combined. Drizzle the oil into the mix, making sure it is fully incorporated. Add the dry ingredients and combine until it becomes a batter (not too runny or thick). Pour onto a lined baking pan and bake in oven for 30-35 minutes.
Let cool down to room temperature, cut rectangular portions, store in the refrigerator. Cut the cake into rectangular layers.
MAKE THE PEPITA BRITTLE
Mix the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper and reserve. Mix the corn syrup, sugar, and water in a pot on a medium heat. After it becomes caramel golden brown, add the butter till melted, then add the green pepitas into the caramel and mix with the spatula. Add the powder ingredients and mix properly with the spatula. It will bubble up, immediately pull it off the heat and pour onto a silk pad-sheet tray and spread with a rubber spatula. Use another silk pad on top and press with a sheet-pan. Cool down at room temperature. Once cool, add the caramel pepitas into a robo-coupe and pulse until crushed (not a fine powder but crumble cookie pieces).
MAKE THE PUMPKIN ‘TACHA’ PURÉE:
Cook the squash: Wash the pumpkin, cut in half, remove the seeds and the fibrous strands. Do not peel. Cut pumpkin into thick half-moons. In a pot combine all the ingredients, place on the stove, and bring to a boil. Keep simmering until the pumpkin gets soft and cooked. Remove from the fire, cool down, and reserve.
Make the tacha purée: Remove the skin from the squash to get the pulp. Place the pulp into the Vitamix blender along with the syrup, starting from low speed and gradually increase to a high speed.
MAKE THE ORANGE BLOSSOM MILK:
Mix all the ingredients and chill at least 4 hours before use. Note: the amount of orange blossom essence will depend on the brand and the concentration of the essence.
ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:
First, take two pieces of pre-portioned pumpkin cake and soak them in the orange blossom milk– only use enough for the cake to absorb the liquid but not break. Plate the caramel using a piping bag tied off at the top. Pipe the caramel in the center of the plate radiating out in a circular motion. Add the two pieces of cake stacked on top of each other and place at a diagonal on the left side of the circle. Whipped cream is placed on top of the cake in a straight line. Garnish the top with spiced pepita brittle and marigold petals.